Tainted RPG Ideas

[metatronscube6]

Well I've toyed around with the editor for some time now and decided to fully pursue creating a map. I have begun terraining and writing story/dialogue. Here is a description of what I've thought of so far... let me know what you think!

[] = Name still in progress.

Goal: To have an RPG that relies on story, setting, and mood to transport the player to the realm I've created and engage them into the game.
Themes: Corruption, Disease, Juxtaposition, Surprise, Mystery.
Background story: It is a testing time in the [state]. The [holy council] is fighting off the increasing corruption of it's people. The people are scared, hungry, and losing faith. Evil is brewing to the west and its source is unknown. It is corrupting the land, killing crops, and turning the wildlife hostile. Many have lost faith both in their [holy leader] and the [religion] he promotes. The [holy council] has brought together its best heroes to fight the corruption, and to find its source.
Gameplay: The game will start with some basic missions taking place in the [state], and eventually lead the player into the source of the [evil].
EXP System: Each ability levels the more you use it [I'm thinking 50 uses for lvl 1 and increasing the number by 10 each time]. After you have leveled your abilities a total of 10 times you gain a level, at which point you can choose to up your Str, Agi, or Int. Trying to capture the open-ended character development of Morrowind.
Classes: Acolyte = Spell Based; Curate = Healer; Invoker = Summons spirits/angels; Theurgist = Shapeshifter; Paladin = Warrior/Healer; Inquisitor = Warrior; Pilgrim = Archer; Monk = Stealth

Thanks for feedback and ideas!
Once I finish more of the map I will probably need help so if anyone is interested let me know.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Plot split: The hero falls to the corruption. Depending on his previous actions, he either: dies, is reborn as a servant of [the evil], destroying all he stood for, or resists and uses his newfound power to fight [evil], sacrificing his former existence to victory.

Actions being moral choices in the quests, being more or less good-aligned. For example, slaughter an entire village of peasants so the corruption doesn't reach them. And if the choices are sometimes the same, the situations don't repeat themselves, the peasants could have been saved in one situation but be beyond redemption in another.
Another would be, say, torturing an NPC suspected of hiding information/supplies the hero can use (Say the hero is an Inquisitor of some kind).

Different Hero classes too, that should affect the choices differently: a Paladin will be stronger in combat, but the morally difficult choices bear heavier upon him; whereas a weaker Inquisitor will have no problem declaring a village unsaveable and putting it to the torch.


Would this be a single-player or multi?

 

[metatronscube6]

Love the idea that the main character becomes evil! But to twist this concept a bit how about you start a new character mid-way... and your old one is now the antagonist of the story? I also like the moral system you suggest. I would incorporate specific abilities for morality [Good, Evil, Neutral] and perhaps a character's appearance would change accordingly. To have this work with the character shift either your old hero would become the head of the church and you would work for him, or he would become the antagonist and be the final boss.

While a multiplayer RPG would be cool, I would like it to be single player simply for the fact that I could make global changes throughout the game without affecting other players.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Excellent. Though I think it would be more effective as a campaign (I prefer single-player maps myself), so the character's evolution is more subtle.

I also like the idea of starting anew with a new character. Building on that: How about you play the first part of the game as the new [good] guy, with the info building up that you're fighting a corrupt member of your church. Then around halfway through you come across a diary or assimilated, which then goes to a very extended flashback in which you play the [turned to evil] character's fall from grace. Once these are done, the [good] character returns to the present and continues his quest.

Another idea for a character: a redeemed [evil] person, woh is now working the the [good] church, and who is haunted by the memory of his former actions (and making it easier for him to fall).


More later.